It’s a 1980s NME Mixtape Party!

One of my favorite things in the world, aside from discovering great new music, is discovering great old music I never knew existed. It’s one of the greatest feelings, coming across something amazing that’s been around nearly as long as I have and, for whatever reason, has escaped my attention until this very moment. On that score, I’ve recently discovered Press Play and Record, a depository of mixtapes released by NME in the 1980s and a treasure-trove of vintage recordings both classic and obscure.

According to the site’s creator, Press Play and Record has every mixtape released by the vaunted British music mag in the 1980s except for one (if you have it, let them know!). After spending some hours (and much bandwidth) acquiring mixes from the site, I’ve settled in for some serious listening. Initial satisfying discoveries include Robert Wyatt’s cover of “Stalin Wasn’t Stallin’,” a reminder that Jonathan Richman is great, and a totally unexpected compilation of country classics.

But wait, there’s more! Not only does this blog offer up some great mixtapes, it also has scans of the original tapes’ cassette art and liner notes. Thanks, Internet!